Ola! Como v-ao?

 

Ola! Como v~ao?

Este semana esteve muito bom! I can't believe I have been on a mission for an entire month and will be on an airplane in two short weeks. I am determined that my visa will come! I just have to show faith that it will :) A sister in another district got hers last night, so there is hope.

This week went by so fast that it is difficult to even remember what happened, so I will try my best. Tuesday night we had a devotional in the Marriott center (every Tuesday night there is a devotional in the Marriott center). I sang in the choir which was so fabulous! Brother Richardson of the General Sunday School spoke to us. It was incredible! Lots of his comments stood out to me and I was just soaking everything in. One thing he said was "Your mission should be the best 1.5 years FOR your life, not of your life. Your mission will become a part of you." I want to be the best missionary that I can possibly be. The Lord needs to be able to work through me to bless the people of Brazil. I need to work to be ready and worthy of the call to serve. Everyday, improvement happens. It is a journey and takes work, but as I try my hardest, I know the Lord will accept my best efforts.

On Thursday for the 4th of July we had a special event with music and a speaker. Then we watched "17 miracles" and then had ice cream bars while watching the BYU football stadium fireworks from inside the MTC. It was my 1st Independence Day without family, but it was still a special memory. I stood with my companions and others I have grown to love, and just soaked in the moment. It was wonderful.

Another amazing tender mercy happened during church. I have always struggled to roll my "r's" when I speak Spanish or Portuguese. I just can't do it! I started praying for help to just accomplish the simple task of rolling my "r's". During the first hymn, we were singing in Portuguese and I felt something different going on with my tongue..... Whenever a word had an "r" in it, my tongue would kind of move differently. I was rolling my "r's"!!! No, I am still not perfect at it, but that small moment was progress. I know and testify that what matters to us MATTERS TO GOD. Regardless of how small.

Lastly, on the first Sunday of every month we have a special meeting during the 1st hour of church. It is called testimony meeting. it is a time where members of the congregation can share their testimonies (beliefs) with their fellow friends and loved ones in the congregation. This Sunday, I shared my testimony in Portuguese. The Spirit was incredible! It was simple, but what I felt was powerful. I wasn't nervous and the words just came. I took a step of Faith and shared the thoughts of my heart in a foreign language to me and to everyone in their room. I felt overwhelmed with love and with peace. I know that I wasn't standing alone.

I have faith in this work and know it is true! I am excited to share and want to run around shouting "IT'S TRUE! IT'S REALLY TRUE!"

God be with you all! Till we meet again :)

Love Always,

Sister Haley Sender